Gaming News

The Artful Escape is a trippy and profound musical romp that emerged as one of our favorite indies of 2021. It’s been Xbox console exclusive since launch (and available on PC), but the ballad of Francis Vendetti will soon find a new audience. That’s because the game is launching on PlayStation consoles and Switch on January 25. If you’re unfamiliar, The Artful Escape spins the yarn of Francis Vendetti, a musician and the nephew of a famous folksinger who finds himself pigeonholed to expectations of following in his uncle’s stylistic footsteps. It’s not until an alien ship arrives and whisks Francis off to an intergalactic space odyssey does he begin to discover his true voice. The gameplay itself consists of simple side-scrolling platforming, but the real stars are the killer soundtrack, gorgeous visuals, and top-notch performances from names like Carl Weathers and Lena Headey. There’s a reason it earned an 8.5 review score from us. Click here to watch embedded media Will you be picking up The Artful Escape on PlayStation or Switch? Let us know in the comments!

Yesterday, 343 Industries announced that starting this week, it would be making some changes to the Halo Infinite price store. Specifically, the studio was going to make changes to how it packages and prices items in the store. The store was updated today, just like it is every Tuesday, and as promised, those price changes are evident.  The most notable change is the general decrease in price, especially for large bundles that feature cosmetic coatings for armor, weapons, and vehicles. That’s evident with the 1200 credit-priced Neon Superfly bundle, which will cost roughly $10. In weeks past, a bundle like that would have cost roughly $17. The vehicle coating bundle called Zodiac River, which gives warthogs and more a rainbow-esque coating and adds new tires to roll in the battlefield, is also available for what appears to be a cheaper-than-usual price at just 500 credits.  That same type of bundle might have cost a couple of hundred credits more in previous weeks. The boost and swap pack, which gives players Double XP boosts and Challenge Swaps for 200 credits, is the same price as usual.  There’s also a Neon Beat bundle that includes an Epic Mythic Effect set, a purple visor, and more for 1000 credits. Plus, the Keep It Clean bundle that costs 500 credits is available and it includes a nameplate, an AI, and more. Both it and the Neon Beat bundle appear to be priced similarly to weeks past, but the bigger Neon Superfly bundle is undoubtedly cheaper than it might have been had it gone live on the Halo Infinite store in a previous week.  For more about the game, check out the Game Informer Halo Infinite hub and then keep an eye on our story about what’s available in the Halo Infinite shop, which is updated weekly. Are you excited about these new prices or do you feel they could be adjusted even further? Let us know in the comments below!

It is important to keep in mind what is going on within Activision Blizzard at this time regarding ongoing allegations about the work culture. The ongoing lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against the company is over reported toxic workplace culture. The bulk of the suit focuses on "violations of the state's civil rights and equal pay laws," specifically regarding the treatment of women and other marginalized groups. To learn more about the proceedings thus far, including details listed in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, please check out our previous coverage here. With 2021 behind us, there’s still plenty of year-end sales numbers coming out as it relates to video games, and today, the NPD Group, which tracks sales figures for games, consoles, and gaming accessories, released both its December and 2021 round ups.  Coming out on top of 2021 was the Switch, which the NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella revealed was the best-selling hardware in both unit and dollar sales in the U.S. today on Twitter. Switch was also December’s best-selling platform in units sold, and in terms of dollar sales, it tied the PlayStation 5 last month. That means more Switch consoles were sold since even the cheapest PS5 costs more than the most expensive Switch model. Of course, it's important to note that buying a Switch right now is much easier than buying a PS5 due to the ongoing chip shortage.  US NPD HW - Nintendo Switch was December 2021's best-selling hardware platform in units sold, while Switch and PlayStation 5 effectively tied for dollar sales leadership in the month. Nintendo Switch led 2021 hardware in both unit and dollar sales. — Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) January 18, 2022 Overall, December hardware dollar sales declined 3% compared to December of 2020, dropping to $1.3 billion. However, despite that drop, full-year 2021 hardware spending reached $6.1 billion, which is up 14% compared to 2020.  On the games side of things, Call of Duty: Vanguard, the latest in the long-running Activision Blizzard, err soon-to-be Xbox, franchise, was December’s best-selling game. This led to Call of Duty becoming the best-selling video game franchise in tracked dollar sales for a 13th consecutive year, according to Piscatella. Halo Infinite was the number two best-selling game of December 2021, which is quite the feat considering many players didn’t purchase the game as it was available to download on Xbox Game Pass.  Coming in at third was Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which was not only December’s best-selling game on Switch, but the best-selling Switch game of 2021. Here’s a look at the top 10 video games in December in the U.S.: Call of Duty: Vanguard Halo Infinite Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pear Madden NFL 22 Battlefield 2042 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe  Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Mario Party Superstars NBA 2K22 Animal Crossing: New Horizons And here are 2021’s top 10 video games in the U.S.:  Call of Duty: Vanguard Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War Madden NFL 22 Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Battlefield 2042 Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Mario Kart 8 Resident Evil: Village MLB: The Show 21 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury For a look at the top 20 for these lists, as well as platform-specific lists and details about December 2021 accessory spending, be sure to check out Piscatella’s full thread here. For more, check out the top 10 digital PS5 and PS4 games in 2021, and then check out the top December digital downloads on PlayStation 5 after that.

It is important to keep in mind what is going on within Activision Blizzard at this time regarding ongoing allegations about the work culture. The ongoing lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against the company is over reported toxic workplace culture. The bulk of the suit focuses on "violations of the state's civil rights and equal pay laws," specifically regarding the treatment of women and other marginalized groups. To learn more about the proceedings thus far, including details listed in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, please check out our previous coverage here. Microsoft/Xbox rocked the game industry today by announcing its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. Activision has been embattled with numerous sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits, multiple employee walkouts, and a strike at Raven Software with CEO Bobby Kotick at the center of it all.  Today’s acquisition immediately raised questions on whether or not Kotick will remain CEO in the wake of these ongoing controversies, with Microsoft confirming he will still lead Activision for the time being. Kotick himself has not explicitly discussed his future post-acquisition, but it’s worth keeping in mind that, generally, such management changes can’t be openly disclosed until after the deal is finalized. Kotick did, however, pen a letter to Activision Blizzard employees rationalizing the sale and how Microsoft can improve the company.  One important detail Kotick points out is that the transition will take some time to complete. He points to Microsoft’s fiscal year of 2023 ending on June 30 as the estimated timeframe for the full approval process to wrap up. Until then, Activision will continue to operate independently. Kotick hopes Microsoft’s expertise in technologies such as cloud computing and AI machine learning will support Activision's existing plans. Kotick previously cites the growing competition around the metaverse concept, alluding that Microsoft will be a big help making their mark in that space.  In terms of Activision’s cultural problems, Kotick also points to Microsoft’s philosophy of employee caring as another selling point and hopes it will help inspire to continue to improve its own internal issues. Xbox head Phil Spencer alluded to a similar mantra of helping problematic studios be better instead of only punishing them when he was recently interviewed about the state of Activision.  You can read the full letter below:  Team, Today is an incredibly exciting day. As we continue our journey to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment, we will eventually do so as part of Microsoft. I am certain that our incredible talent and extraordinary games combined with our shared commitment to the very best workplace will enable us to grow in an increasingly more competitive race for leadership as gaming through the metaverse evolves. How we got here and where we’re going When you reflect on what we’ve built together, we have so much to be proud of. For the last 31 years, we’ve continuously shaped gaming through our commitment to deliver joy, fun, and the thrill of accomplishment. We’ve transformed games into social experiences and enabled players to find purpose and meaning through the most engaging form of entertainment – our games. By doing so, we’ve created and entertained communities of hundreds of millions of players. Connecting these communities together is the next step. Facebook, Google, Tencent, NetEase, Amazon, Apple, Sony, Disney – and many more – have ambitions for their own gaming and metaverse initiatives. Established and emerging competitors see opportunity for virtual worlds filled with professionally produced content, user generated content and rich social connections. Our talent and our games are important components of the construction of a rich metaverse. We have always attracted the very best game makers and built the very best games, seizing opportunity with passion, inspiration, focus, and determination. A partnership to define the future As investments in cloud computing, AI and machine learning, data analytics, and user interface and experience capabilities are becoming more competitive, we believe this partnership will better enable our ambitions. In considering possible partners, all roads ultimately lead to Microsoft. Like us, they have been making games for a long time. Microsoft has already distributed games to hundreds of millions of the world’s computers and computing devices and has technologies and innovation that will support the next generation of games. Microsoft also will support our journey to further strengthen our culture. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, has been a passionate advocate for caring as the currency of leadership. Inspiring people through empathy is a powerful motivator, and one we embrace as we renew our resolve – and in the work we are now doing – to set a new standard for a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture. Importantly, Microsoft wants you – your talent, your creativity, and your dedication to each other. Activision Blizzard’s success throughout the years can be directly attributed to each of you. Microsoft recognizes the commitment to excellence and creative independence that sets us apart, and we anticipate minimal changes for our workforce following the close of the transaction. Microsoft’s diverse operations will give us access to valuable expertise, technology, and tools and provide even greater opportunities for learning and development. No organization’s culture, including ours, is without need for improvement, and thanks to your input, we are making strides in improving ours. My commitment is to continue evolving our culture so that come closing, Microsoft is acquiring an exemplary workplace. What’s next Transactions like these can take a long time to complete. Until we receive all the necessary regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions are satisfied, which we expect to be sometime in Microsoft’s fiscal 2023 year ending June 30, 2023, we will continue to operate completely autonomously. I will continue as our CEO with the same passion and enthusiasm I had when I began this amazing journey in 1991. Of course, this announcement will give rise to so many questions. We will host numerous forums and events to make certain we address your concerns. I am incredibly proud of this company, you, and the work we have done together. Now it’s on to our next chapter and the endless possibilities this transaction represents for us. I couldn’t be more appreciative of your efforts, focus, and the dedication to connecting the world through joy and fun. With gratitude, Bobby Kotick's future with Activision has been a big question mark since it was revealed he reportedly obsurced years worth of employee abuse reports from Activision Blizzard shareholders. At one point, he himself stated he would consider stepping down if company culture didn't approve, although employee petitions and a minority of shareholders have called for him to resign as well. 

Cuphead and his trusty drink-holding brother will hit Netflix next month.  This news was announced today with the first official trailer for the series, which is called The Cuphead Show. This new trailer comes seven months after our first sneak peek at the show and as that peek indicated, The Cuphead Show will be about the titular character and his brother, Mugman, traversing the Inkwell Isles.  Click here to watch embedded media Unlike the game, which tasks players with wiping some debt owed to the Devil, it seems that the show is less about a central story such as that and more about episode-to-episode adventures that may or may not be hijacked by some devilish deeds from the Devil. However, the trailer reveals quite a few of the locales visited in Cuphead as well as many of the bosses our heroes face in the game.  “Based on the award-winning video game that smashed onto the scene with a gorgeous retro animation style, The Cuphead Show is a character-driven comedy series following the unique misadventures of loveable, impulsive scamp Cuphead and his cautious but easily swayed brother Mugman,” a press release from Netflix reads. “As the two scour their surreal homeworld of the Inkwell Isles in search of fun and adventure, they always have each other’s back.”  As you might expect, the show retains the same retro style of animation as the game and it features the same 1920s-esque antics and comedy seen in it as well.  Click here to watch embedded media “The Cuphead Show combines nostalgic delights, side-splitting gags, and a healthy dose of the heebie jeebies – espeically when a ridiculously weird nemesis, The Devil himself, arrives on the scene to toy with our heroes.”  Netflix Animation is producing the 12-episode series, and each episode will run for 12 minutes. Cuphead creators Chad and Jared Moldenhaur from Studio MDHR are executive producers. The voice cast includes Tru Valentino (Psychonauts 2) as Cuphead, Frank Todaro (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure) as Mugman, Joe Hanna (Dishonored 2) as Elder Kettle, Luke Millington-Drake as the Devil, Grey Griffin (Batman: Arkham City) as Ms. Chalice, and Wayne Brady (Who's Line Is It Anyway?) as King Dice.  The Cuphead Show was announced back in 2019, and you can read about that original announcement here. Check out our thoughts on the video game that the show is based on in Game Informer’s Cuphead review after that and then read about how Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, which features the same Ms. Chalice seen in The Cuphead Show, launches this June. Are you excited for The Cuphead Show? Let us know in the comments below! 

The everchanging world of Fortnite received a significant update today. As the weather heats up and spring approaches, frozen sections of the game's map are thawing. One such area has melted to reveal the return of Titled Towers, a popular location filled with towers that was a part of Fortnite's first battle royale map. The great thaw also has awakened new life in the form of giant dinosaurs called Klombos. These peaceful beasts are roughly the size of a bus and are roaming the world looking for things to eat, especially Klomberries. When they consume something, their color changes. You can interact with these beasts. Try running up a Klombos tail and see what happens when you reach the blowhole on its head. If you shoot a Klombo, it will attack you. That blowhole is also a weapon. So far, you can find two Klombos on the map – one to the northwest of the Daily Bugle and another to the west of Titled Towers. In a few matches I played this morning, Titled Towers proved to be a popular destination with what seemed to be half of players descending upon it to see what has changed. You may want to arm yourself and shield up before landing at this fun spot. If you collect characters, you'll find two have been added to the game in slots 21 and 22. More significant changes will likely be on the way to Fortnite in a few weeks, as The Foundation and Haven Masks battle pass rewards unlock in 16 days. The item shop also updates daily at 6 p.m. CT. It'll be interesting to see if Epic Games ties in any character skins and items with the return of Titled Towers. Maybe a Klombo trainer? We'll find out later today.

Last October, Nintendo revealed that Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix would be heading to Switch. If you’ve been waiting with bated breath to enjoy Sora’s adventures on the go, mark February 10 as the date you’ll get to do so. It’s important to emphasize that these are cloud versions, meaning you can only stream them over the internet. The games will not be available as traditional physical or digital releases. If you’re unsure if your internet connection is up to the task, free demos of each title are now available to test out.  If this will be your first foray into the Kingdom Hearts series, figuring out the differences between these confusingly named collections can be headache-inducing. Below is a simple breakdown of which each one entails. To follow along with the series from start to finish, you’ll want to play the collections/games in this order:  Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix Kingdom Hearts Final Mix Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (cutscenes only) Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded (cutscenes only)  Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover (movie) Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind  Kingdom Hearts III with its post-story Re Mind DLC included As an added perk, those who purchase Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind standalone or as part of the bundle receive the exclusive Advent Red Keyblade to use in that game.  2022 marks the 20th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts and Square has promised to celebrate with a special event on April 10. During this Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event, there will be a mini concert, a chat and Q&A with the development teams behind the series, an exhibition, and "much more." A video version of it will be made available after the event.  For more on these games, follow the links to read our reviews on Kingdom Hearts III, Kingdom Hearts 2.8, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Remix, and Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix. 

Earlier this month, Xbox revealed the first wave of January Game Pass titles which listed Bioware’s beloved reupholstered trilogy, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, several indie darlings like Spelunky 2 and Outer Wilds (among other games), and a preview project called The Anacrusis. According to VGC, the end-of-month Game Pass lineup was recently revealed and includes hits like Rainbow Six Extraction, Hitman Trilogy, and more.  You can get a look at the upcoming catalog in the image above. More details are available in the form of a blog post on the official Xbox website. The assortment is as follows: What’s Coming To Xbox Game Pass Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition (Console, PC, Cloud) - January 18 Death’s Door (Console, PC, Cloud) - January 20 | Our Review Hitman Trilogy (Console, PC, Cloud) - January 20 Nobody Saves The World (Console, PC, Cloud) - January 18 Pupperazzi (Console, PC, Cloud) - TBA Rainbow Six Extraction (Console, PC, Cloud) - January 20 Windjammers 2 (Console, PC, Cloud) - TBA Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master! (Console, PC) - TBA Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition (PC) - January 20 | Our Review We’ll also update this story if and when Xbox adds to the “What’s Leaving Xbox Game Pass” catalog this month. In the meantime, read up on everything that dropped in December 2021. As for any info about the new games dropping later this month, check out our Rainbow Six Extraction New Gameplay Today footage or read about how Pupperazzi might help scratch your New Pokémon Snap itch.  In other seismic Xbox news, Microsoft announced this morning that it acquired Activision Blizzard. Personally, I’m looking forward to trying out Death’s Door. But are there any upcoming games you’re excited to dive into? Let us know in the comments section below! [Source: VGC]

It is important to keep in mind what is going on within Activision Blizzard at this time regarding ongoing allegations about the work culture. The ongoing lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against the company is over reported toxic workplace culture. The bulk of the suit focuses on "violations of the state's civil rights and equal pay laws," specifically regarding the treatment of women and other marginalized groups. To learn more about the proceedings thus far, including details listed in the lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, please check out our previous coverage here. Microsoft announced that it acquired Activision Blizzard, the studio behind franchises like Call of Duty, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more.  This news was announced today amongst rumors that such an acquisition was happening. It seems Xbox head Phil Spencer, who wrote the blog post announcing the report, was looking to get ahead of said rumors, and now, it's official: Xbox is the new home of Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, and all of Activision Blizzard's other franchises. The deal is worth $68.7 billion, which is significantly more than the $7.5 billion Microsoft spent on its acquisition of Bethesda back in 2020. For more context of this nearly $70 billion price tag, just last week, Take-Two announced one of the most expensive acquisitions in gaming history when it revealed it was buying Zynga for nearly $13 billion. "As a team, we are on a mission to extend the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet," Spencer's Xbox Wire blog post reads. "We all know that gaming is the most vibrant and dynamic form of entertainment worldwide and we've experienced the power of social connection and friendship that gaming makes possible. As we pursue that mission, it is incredibly exciting to announce that Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard."  Here are some of the teams this acquisition places in the Xbox family: Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, Beenox, Demonware, Digital Legends, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, King, Major League Gaming, Radical Entertainment, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Toys for Bob, and Treyarch. Microsoft will have 30 internal game development studios following the close of this deal. There's no word on if games developed by these studios will be exclusive to Xbox platforms or if those currently seen as multiplatform titles like Call of Duty will remain as such.  Spencer says that Activision Blizzard and Microsoft Gaming will continue to operate independently until the transaction closes, which is expected to happen in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 through June 2023). When that happens, Microsoft will become the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony. Activision Blizzard will report to Spencer as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming after the transaction close of this acquisition. Here's a look at the Microsoft Gaming Leadership team (see below).  Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who has been central in the ongoing controversy surrounding the company including calls for his resignation, will remain CEO.  "Bobby Kotick will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard, and he and his team will maintain their focus on driving efforts to further strengthen the company's culture and accelerate business growth," a press release from Xbox reads. "Once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming."  Kotick said today that "for more than 30 years, our incredibly talented teams have created some of the most successful games" and that "the combination of Activision Blizzard's world-class talent and extraordinary franchises with Microsoft's technology, distribution, access to talent, ambitious vision, and shared commitment to gaming and inclusion will help ensure our continued success in an increasingly competitive industry."  "Upon close, we will offer as many Activision Blizzard games as we can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, both new titles and games from Activision Blizzard's incredible catalog," Spencer's post continues. "We also announced today that Game Pass now has more than 25 million subscribers. As always, we look forward to continuing to add more value and more great games to Game Pass."  Spencer says this acquisition will accelerate Microsoft and Xbox's plans for Cloud Gaming, and the companies plan to support cloud streaming for Activision Blizzard games moving forward.  The Microsoft Gaming CEO also lightly touches (without directly speaking to it) on some of the controversy surrounding Activision Blizzard amongst reports of harassment, failure in leadership and management, and more, which you can read about here.  "As a company, Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. We deeply value individual studio cultures. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. We're looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard. "Around the world, there is no more exciting venue for fun and connection than video games. And there has never been a better time to play than right now. As we extend the joy and community of gaming to everyone, we look forward to welcoming all of our friends at Activision Blizzard to Microsoft Gaming."  What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments below!

Blue Isle Studios is bringing its new shooter, Leap, to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 along with a PC release. Check out the trailer below showing its wild, fast-paced action ... in action.  Click here to watch embedded media Leap features 60-player matches where players take on roles determined by which exosuit they choose to utilize. The four currently available are the Pathfinder, Titan, Wraith, and Tech Ops, each with different playstyles, armor types, and skills. Some let you fly in the air with a jetpack, while others let you stealth or play the support role. Personal vehicles or PVs let players mount up on their preferred ride, including a mechanical moose, what looks like a snow tube, or my favorite: the hoverboard. I definitely prefer cruising into battle like a gun-toating Silver Surfer. Check out the Leap site to sign up for a chance to play in its beta which begins on January 19.

Click here to watch embedded media Those out there who are looking for a reason to buy and play Ys IX: Monstrum Nox have a few new features to look forward to when you finally pull the trigger. Seriously, though. Play Ys VIII and IX! Coming in a major update to the Steam version of the game is local co-op. In the trailer above you can see the feature in action, which lets a second player take control of someone as long as multiple playable characters are present in the scene. In the Steam post announcing the update, it talks about the changes from co-op in the previous Ys title, saying, "the second player is largely equivalent to the primary player in terms of capabilities in Ys IX, including movement and combat abilities, using Monstrum Gifts, discovering and triggering landmarks, enemies and events, opening chests, picking up collectibles, and initiating dialogue. Only interacting with menus and the map is restricted to player one." Pretty impressive for shoehorning multiplayer into a decidedly single-player experience. Also joining the game is 16:10 support, which allows for slightly narrower displays to be supported. One of those displays sporting that aspect ratio is the upcoming Steam Deck handheld device, which the developers luckily had on hand to snap a picture of the game running on it.  Topping off the update are some bug fixes to clean up some issues from launch. You can check out the full developer post right here.  Have you played Ys IX and does multiplayer sound like a way you'd want to play it? Let us know in the comments!

Changes are coming to Halo Infinite's store starting this week, according to a series of tweets from Jerry Hook, the head of design at 343 Industries.  Users have had concerns about the pricing in Infinite's shop since it launched in late November, and it looks like this week will finally see a change in course for what is offered and for how much. Jerry Hook starts his mini-thread announcing the impending update, saying, "We’ve been monitoring the discussions on the Shop, bundles, and pricing closely since launch. Using data and community feedback, we’re going to begin rolling out changes to how we package and price items in Halo Infinite – and it all starts next week." His thread continues, "Starting Tuesday, the Shop experience will vary week-to-week. We are focused on reducing pricing across the board, providing stronger values in our bundles, starting to put individual items outside of bundles, and more."  We’ve been monitoring the discussions on the Shop, bundles, and pricing closely since launch. Using data and community feedback, we’re going to begin rolling out changes to how we package and price items in @Halo Infinite – and it all starts next week. — jerry hook (@hookscourt) January 15, 2022 With the week-to-week adjustments being made, it seems like the in-game store will be evolving and changing based on trends over the coming months. Hook speaks to that in his third tweet, saying, "We will be trying new things throughout the rest of the season so that we can continue to learn and improve for the future. Please keep the feedback coming during this process and I hope to see you all next week for the Cyber Showdown event!"  What the changes are, we'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully you can get your Spartan Cat ears or space pickle charms on the cheap going forward. If there are any interesting developments in the Halo Infinite shop, we have a story that we keep updated just about every week to reflect the deals on offer. Check there tomorrow afternoon to see if anything substantial has taken place.